Lael Bethlehem Explained

Lael Bethlehem (born 24 October 1967) is an expert in urban development. She was director of economic development at the City of Johannesburg from 2002 to 2005[1] and chief executive of the Johannesburg Development Agency[2] from 2005 to 2010.[3] Prior to those roles, she also served as Chief Director of Forestry at the South African National Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, where she led South Africa’s forestry programme and represented the country in international forestry negotiations.[4] Today, Bethlehem is an investment executive at Hosken Consolidated Investments.[5]

Education and early career

Lael Bethlehem was born on 24 October 1967 in South Africa.[6] Bethlehem's calling as a civic leader was apparent from an early age: at 11, she won her first award for good citizenship and later became a junior councillor.[7] She attended the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, obtaining a bachelor's degree in 1991 and a Masters in Industrial Sociology in 1994.[8] Her career began with several research roles within the trade union movement, following which she became chief director at the South African National Department of Water Affairs and Forestry.[9] She worked at the Forestry Department until 2002 when she entered local government in Johannesburg as director of the Department for Economic Development.[10] [11]

The Johannesburg Development Agency

After three years in the Department for Economic Development,[12] Lael Bethlehem was appointed the CEO of the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) in 2005.[13] The JDA was established in April 2001 by the City of Johannesburg and was tasked primarily with inner city regeneration.[14] For five years the agency focussed predominantly on high-profile one-off investments which were aimed at catalysing regeneration in the inner city.[15] Investment projects championed during this time included the Nelson Mandela Bridge, Mary Fitzgerald Square, and the Newtown development.[16] These investments were instrumental in reversing the decline of inner city Johannesburg and in building a community of supporters and investors.[17]

Under Bethlehem's leadership, the JDA moved into a new investment phase, characterised by a series of more sustained smaller scale initiatives aimed at encouraging private sector investment.[18] The agency's work focused on upgrading public space and improving the sense of place in the city – for example public lighting, pavements, urban squares, parks and community halls were created, replaced or improved.[19] A new museum, library, public buildings, trader markets, dance studio and cricket oval were created.[20] The installation of beautiful public artwork and unusual street furniture became a hallmark of the JDA's work.[21] Bethlehem emerged as an advocate of the creation of a liveable city, believing this to be more important than simple ‘upgrading’ of space. “Public spaces have to become attractive places that give a city an identity that people can be proud of” she said in a 2008 interview.[22] Bethlehem also managed several of the city's large scale investment projects during her time as CEO of the JDA, including the development of the infrastructure for the city's bus rapid transit system, known as Rea Vaya, and the preparation of the key precincts for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[23] [24]

Rea Vaya

As CEO of the Johannesburg Development Agency, Bethlehem was responsible for developing the infrastructure for the introduction of Rea Vaya, a bus rapid transit system for the city.[25] This R3.5-billion flagship project[26] was a social initiative as well as an infrastructure and environmental project: designed to be accessible, affordable and attractive to residents of all races and classes, the scheme sought to promote social inclusion and counteract the physical and social isolation suffered by the city's poorest communities, particularly in and around Soweto.[27] [28] [29] It was deliberately complementary to and integrated with the Gauteng provincial government's Gautrain.[30] [31]

A 2013 peer review of Rea Vaya concluded that it was too early to determine the system's impact on social equality.[32] The first phase of the scheme was completed on time for the city's hosting of the 2010 World Cup.[33] Rea Vaya currently has around 71,000 passengers per day,[34] and it is estimated will to save 1.6 million tons of equivalent emissions by 2020.[35] Several other South African cities are now planning BRT systems.[36] On leaving the JDA in 2010, Bethlehem picked Rea Vaya as the major scheme she was most proud of – particularly because of the role it played in the process of democratization in the city.[37]

2010 FIFA World Cup

The JDA was involved in several major urban development projects which were accelerated by the World Cup deadline – the most significant of which were the upgrades to Ellis Park and Nasrec precincts in which new outdoor artwork and street furniture were installed, new bridges and roads constructed and new cricket and football pitches built.[38] The JDA also lead the regeneration of Vilakazi Street, one of the most visited sites in Soweto.[39]

Recognition

Personal life

Lael Bethlehem is married with two daughters and lives in Johannesburg.[44]

Current Roles

Previous Roles

Publications

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lael Bethlehem Who's Who SA. whoswho.co.za. en. 2017-11-17.
  2. Web site: Home - Johannesburg Development Agency. www.jda.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  3. Web site: City of Johannesburg - JDA chief bids farewell. www.joburg.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  4. Web site: Ms Lael Bethlehem | World Cities Summit . 2014-09-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140702204518/http://www.worldcitiessummit.com.sg/wcsyoungleaders/ms-lael-bethlehem . 2014-07-02 . dead .
  5. Web site: Ms Lael Bethlehem | World Cities Summit . 2014-09-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140702204518/http://www.worldcitiessummit.com.sg/wcsyoungleaders/ms-lael-bethlehem . 2014-07-02 . dead .
  6. Web site: Lael Bethlehem Who's Who SA. whoswho.co.za. en. 2017-11-17.
  7. Web site: City of Johannesburg - JDA chief bids farewell. www.joburg.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  8. hsf.org.za/resource-centre/focus/focus-69...bethlehem.../download and Web site: Old News | Alumni in the News | News | News & Events | Alumni - Wits University . 2014-09-17 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131005104810/http://www.wits.ac.za/alumni/news/alumniinthenews/3401/oldnews.html . 2013-10-05 .
  9. News: Lael Bethlehem. Industrial Development Corporation. 2017-11-17. en-gb.
  10. Web site: City of Johannesburg - Department of Economic Development. www.joburg.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  11. Web site: Lael Bethlehem Who's Who SA . whoswho.co.za . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130709025430/http://whoswho.co.za/lael-bethlehem-4961 . 2013-07-09.
  12. Web site: City of Johannesburg - Department of Economic Development. www.joburg.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  13. Web site: Lael Bethlehem Who's Who SA. whoswho.co.za. en. 2017-11-17.
  14. hsf.org.za/resource-centre/focus/focus-69...bethlehem.../download
  15. News: The Johannesburg CBD History: Decline and Rebirth - Mafadi. 2012-04-09. Mafadi. 2017-11-17. en-US.
  16. Web site: The Johannesburg CBD History: Decline and Rebirth. 9 April 2012.
  17. hsf.org.za/resource-centre/focus/focus-69...bethlehem.../download
  18. hsf.org.za/resource-centre/focus/focus-69...bethlehem.../download
  19. hsf.org.za/resource-centre/focus/focus-69...bethlehem.../download
  20. Web site: City of Johannesburg - JDA chief bids farewell. www.joburg.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  21. Web site: City of Johannesburg - JDA chief bids farewell. www.joburg.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  22. Web site: Gautrain For people on the move. Ltd. AfriGIS (Pty). www.gautrain.co.za. en. 2017-11-17.
  23. Web site: Top nomination for JDA chief. www.reavaya.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  24. Web site: JDA shows off Nasrec upgrade ahead of World Cup.
  25. News: Rea Vaya's first phase gets rolling. 2017-11-17. en-gb.
  26. Web site: 2012-03-21 . Best Practice: Bus Rapid Transit System . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240617084853/https://www.nyc.gov/html/unccp/gprb/downloads/pdf/Johannesburg_ReaVaya.pdf . 2024-06-17 . www.nyc.gov.
  27. Web site: Benefits. www.reavaya.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  28. Web site: Rea Vaya: Background. www.reavaya.org.za. 2017-11-17.
  29. Web site: Cityclimateleadershipawards.com. cityclimateleadershipawards.com. 2017-11-17. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140826141127/http://cityclimateleadershipawards.com/2014-project-johannesburg-brt/. 2014-08-26.
  30. Web site: Rea Vaya: Background. www.reavaya.org.za. 2017-11-17.
  31. Web site: Synergies benefit travellers. www.reavaya.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  32. Web site: Archived copy . 2014-09-17 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140326141203/http://www.metropolis.org/sites/default/files/initiatives/integrated-urban-governance-successful-policy-transfer/documents/report-peer-review-training-rea-vaya20131022.pdf . 2014-03-26 .
  33. News: Rea Vaya's first phase gets rolling. 2017-11-17. en-gb.
  34. Web site: Cityclimateleadershipawards.com. cityclimateleadershipawards.com. 2017-11-17. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140826141127/http://cityclimateleadershipawards.com/2014-project-johannesburg-brt/. 2014-08-26.
  35. Web site: 2012-03-21 . Best Practice: Bus Rapid Transit System . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240617084853/https://www.nyc.gov/html/unccp/gprb/downloads/pdf/Johannesburg_ReaVaya.pdf . 2024-06-17 . www.nyc.gov.
  36. News: SA public transport enters new phase. Mafika. 2013-10-16. Brand South Africa. 2017-11-17. en-US.
  37. Web site: City of Johannesburg - JDA chief bids farewell. www.joburg.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  38. OECD, 2010: Local Development Benefits from Staging Global Events: Achieving the Local Development Legacy from 2012. Paris: OECD.
  39. Web site: City of Johannesburg - JDA sprinkles magic on Joburg. www.joburg.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  40. Web site: BWA Welcome.. Bwa. 2017-11-17.
  41. Web site: City of Johannesburg - JDA sprinkles magic on Joburg. www.joburg.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  42. Web site: City of Johannesburg - JDA chief bids farewell. www.joburg.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  43. Web site: City of Johannesburg - Halala winners are named. www.joburg.org.za. en-gb. 2017-11-17.
  44. Web site: Love in the time of democracy - City Press . 2014-09-17 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140914050841/http://www.citypress.co.za/features/love-time-democracy/ . 2014-09-14 .
  45. Web site: Ms Lael Bethlehem | World Cities Summit . 2014-09-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140702204518/http://www.worldcitiessummit.com.sg/wcsyoungleaders/ms-lael-bethlehem . 2014-07-02 . dead .
  46. News: Board of Directors. Industrial Development Corporation. 2017-11-17. en-gb.
  47. News: Board of Directors. Industrial Development Corporation. 2017-11-17. en-gb.
  48. News: Board of Directors. Industrial Development Corporation. 2017-11-17. en-gb.

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